I wrote a letter of complaint about the smug little witch called Danielle at Lakeside JDSports (if I wasn't a professional her colleagues would have had to pick her up from the floor after my visit) Dear Mr Cowgill, It is with regret that I write to you of all people but my experience in a JDSports store on Saturday has left me with no option. Having received the all - clear from breast cancer on Thursday of last week I decided to treat myself to some retail therapy and went to Lakeside shopping centre in Thurrock. I wanted to buy a pair of running shoes to kick start the ‘new healthy me’. I purchased one pair from a JDSports within the mall but then found a different pair that I preferred in a second JDSports in the mall. When trying on the second pair the sales adviser suggested I return the first pair in the store I was in to save me going to the other shop. Once at the counter I was served by the store manager, who I was advised is the only person in the store authorised to do exchanges of refunds. I explained that I would like to return the trainers and exchange them for the ones I had picked in this store. Without speaking to me the manager inspected the shoes, as I would have expected. This ‘inspection’ was extremely thorough and it was at this point, and in no way rude or said with a tone, I advised her that ‘I had only just bought them – three or four minutes ago.’ To my horror the manager looked up and barked, ‘ Did I say anything?’ I looked quite dismayed and with a very patronising look she repeated, ‘ Did I say a word?’ I was stunned by her curt and aggressive tone. I stood for a bit in silence , having said to her, ‘I was merely explaining that I had only just purchased them.’ Again, she looked up and said ,’ you are incredibly rude, it is my job to inspect the shoes.’ I did not want to engage in any unnecessary conversation with this woman; I was embarrassed enough at me being spoken to like a naughty child in front of a queue of other customers. It was at this point that I began to shake and tears welled up in my eyes. Not only was I being bullied by the manager I was being forced into a position where I was humiliated and embarrassed in front of a queue of customers as well as other members of staff. I asked her if we could ‘just get on with it’ as I was, at this point, desperate to leave the store. I stood in absolute silence, my face red and whole body shaking with rage as I watched her typing my details into the till. It was at this point that she looked up and said, ‘stop looking at me like that’. By now I’d had enough, it seems that this woman was extremely angry and upset with something prior to my visit and had decided to assert herself with me for no reason whatsoever. I then with slightly raised voice said,’ I am looking at you because it is courteous to do so, would you prefer me to turn away and speak with my back to you?’ I then turned fully round to face the opposite direction to make a point. She then said,’ right, you are incredibly rude and I’m not serving you. You will have to take these somewhere else ‘cause there’s nothing I’m going to do.’ I said, ‘excuse me? You’re not going to serve me?’ ‘That’s right she smiled, you’re too rude.’ At this point I demanded the number to customer services. She ignored me when I was asking claiming, ‘Can’t you see I’m serving someone, you’ll have to wait.’ Eventually she handed me the number and I tried to call from the shop. She gave me the wrong number and when I advised her of this she looked over and said,’ it’s the one we use.’ Frustration boiling now, I advised her that i had driven 35 miles to get to this store and now she was refusing to serve me? ‘Yes’ she laughed, ‘I’m the only one who can do exchanges so you’ll have to go elsewhere.’ I even tried to apologise to her for a misunderstanding but she just shrugged her shoulders and walked off from the counter smiling. As I left the store two customers that had heard this conversation stopped me as they left to say that I had in no way been rude to the lady and that ‘she’s obviously having a bad day’. Plausible had it not have been for the fact that it was just past 9am! I left the store, found an exit to the mall and sat in my car crying unable to continue my ‘day out’. Not only was I choked about this experience I was left humiliated and unnecessarily embarrassed by a girl half my age who thought her actions and rudeness were justified and somewhat amusing. My shopping experience was, to say the least, ruined and the whole weekend blighted by a half witted upstart who considered herself in a position to be rude, discourteous and patronising. Suffice to say that I will not return to the JDSports store in Lakeside shopping centre and should I wish to purchase anything I will do so online. I would appreciate a swift response to this letter of complaint and do hope that the matters I have raised will not be repeated by the manager ‘Danielle’ again. Perhaps a customer service course would benefit her; she may well be a superb manager but she is lacking in a very important area of management; customer service and satisfaction. I am in no way happy with the disrespectful behaviour displayed and would expect managers to have more decorum towards customers. Kindest regards, Miss Lynda J Smith Note to Danielle - would not stand a chance up against me outside of this shop.